Come to Speedy Scrappers on Saturday, November 9 and learn to make this Dazzling Datebook! You will learn basic bookbinding techniques that you will use transform an inexpensive 2014 datebook into a treasure you’ll enjoy everyday of the new year. You’ll receive complete written instructions so you will be able to create as many of these little beauties as you like. They make great stocking stuffers for friends, family and co-workers! The datebook includes pages for notes, addresses and contact information, and weekly & monthly calendars in a perfect size to fit in your pocket or purse.

The cover is soft and pretty. You’ll use Irish waxed linen and Irish linen bookcloth with beautiful cover papers of your choice.

This workshop is perfect for anyone! No bookbinding experience is needed.

Your registration fee includes all of the materials you will need to create one datebook. At the start of the workshop you’ll choose one or two sheets of Speedy Scrappers gorgeous paper to use for your cover and for the inside of the datebook, and some little “extras” to make your datebook really special. In the workshop we will discuss several variations for your datebook that you may wish to try at home.

Participants are asked to bring a pair of scissors, metal edge ruler, and a pencil. If you have a bone folder and/or awl, please bring those, too. If you don’t have these items, the instructor will have tools for you to borrow.

For more information or to register, please follow the “Speedy Scrappers” link to the right. Or, stop in Speedy Scrappers and take a look at the sample on display.

Come and create a one-of-a-kind blank paged book. Choose from a huge selection of international artisan papers to cover your book. Bind your book with a beautiful chain stitch exposed binding. Every participant will leave with a complete finished beautiful book.

Please follow the link at the right to register or for more information.

Lovely “French Country” paper by Graphic 45 covers this journal that is bound with an interesting and ancient Japanese binding stitch. Called “The Butterfly” or “Yamato Toji” or a “Double span-span span-span” stitch, it was developed in Japan in the 11-12th century. We’ll use Czech glass beads, and Irish waxed linen to bind this 4 ½ x 6″, 5 section journal and we’ll add a little bronze sunflower charm to the sewing. There are 60 unlined, goldenrod colored pages in the text block. Using an ancient Japanese binding for a French themed paper may seem to be a bad match. It works because this binding does not call attention to itself, allowing the beauty of the paper, bead and waxed linen to really shine. This is a gorgeous journal; one that you will treasure.

I taught my last workshop at Stampaway on Friday afternoon. This is a whimsical journal and a perfect way to end a full, and busy, three days of teaching. I am so honored to have been an instructor! It was a wonderful experience.

This sweet journal will delight your favorite gardener. Perhaps that favorite gardener is you! The cover paper is a delightful British paper and the book is bound with Italian
book cloth. We used an interesting lattice stitch created by Keith Smith to sew the
journal and accented it with charming antique gold colored beads. This lattice stitch might remind you of an old fashioned trellis with a butterfly perched between two flowers. This 4 1/4” x 5 3/4” journal has 48 pages divided into two sections.

My Thursday at Stampaway was busy! This was my second workshop, and one of the most popular that I taught. It is a lovely binding!

Lovely “Birdsong” paper by Graphic 45 covers this journal that is bound with an interesting and ancient Japanese binding. We used Czech glass beads and Irish waxed linen to bind this 4 1/2” x 6”, 5 section journal.

This 11th century Japanese binding is also called a double span-span, span-span sewing. In bookbinding, the term “span” refers to a sewing where the thread climbs directly into the station or section above without linking into the section below (as in the Coptic stitch, for example). Usually this sewing is not used for a book with a hard cover. Using a hard cover for our books and adding beads and trim to the book made our journals a contemporary interpretation of an ancient binding. Because this sewing is a “span” sewing, there is a little “wobble” in the finished book. Think of this as part of it’s charm. This is actually a very tight, sturdy sewing and I love the beauty of it’s simplicity.

I was honored to teach this workshop on the first day of workshops at Stampaway 2013, Wednesday, August 7.

Every journal made in this workshop was a one of a kind! How fun is that? Participants selected their cover paper from a wide variety of choices of beautiful screenprint paper made in Napal to create a 5 3/4” X 8 3/4”, 3 section, 48 page journal with an Italian book cloth spine. We used two colors of Irish waxed linen for the chain stitch binding. The chain stitch is an elegant and versatile binding that every bookbinder should know.

I taught this lovely cross structure journal at Stampaway on the first workshop day, Wednesday, August 7,

There is debate whether the Italian Cross Structure binding is a historical model or a contemporary creation inspired by study of a historical long stitch model. The Italian bookbinder, Carmencho Arregui, is credited with either its creation or re-discovery. You can explore the website, www. outof binding.com and see the work of this bookbinder and pictures of his 1992 Cross Structure binding. Arregui has developed four or five more complex Cross Structure bindings, as well. The structure we created in this workshop is a simple model.